Device for preventing billowing and creeping of a bowling pin cleaning cloth



Dec. 29, 1964 A. BLAcKER 3,163,416

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING BILLOWING AND CREEPING OF A BOWLING PIN CLEANING CLOTH' Filed March 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR BLACKER B "L I` v t vlr his,...

ATTY.

A A DEVICE FOR PREVENTING BILLOWING AND CREEPING OF A BOWLING PIN CLEANING CLOTH Filed March 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Dec. 29, 1964 BL CKER 3,163,416

. INVENTOR.

ARTHUR BLACKER United States NPatent O 3,163,416 DEVCE FR PREVENTING BILLWING AND CREEPING F A BGWUNG PIN CLEANING CLTI-I Arthur Bleeker, 209 Fir, Park Forest, Ill. Filed Mar. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 179,612 Claims. (Cl. 273-54) The invention relates to improvements in bowling pin cleaning equipment and is more particularly concerned with the novel construction and assembly of a bowling pin wiper and cleaning cloth assembly and the manner of mounting same.

Bowling lanes equipped with Vautomatic pinspotting machines are equipped with a bowling pin wiper. In general, the wiper includes a treated wiping cloth that has the form of an endless belt or sleeve and which is supported from a loosely hanging suspension rod or bar in a fashion to cause the wiper cloth to be impinged by the conventional cushion assembly of the automatic pinspotter machine, so as to be advanced around the suspension bar and present a clean surface to the bowling pins during use. In many instances of application, the suspension rod or bar has a tube telescoped thereover which is of larger diameter than the rod and over which the cloth sleeve is arranged. The presence of such a tube enhances the step-by-step advance of the cloth each time it is struck by the cushion assembly.

Applicant has found thatthe cloth sleeve, which normally is suspended in a substantially flat condition, tends to billow and that Ithe bowling pins frequently fall into the space or gap between the two faces of said cloth sleeve, thus necessitating their removal manually. Also, the wiper cloth sleeve has a tendencyl to creep towards one end or the other of the tube with the result that it is not unusual for it to gather at one end and thus be partially ineffective as a pinwiping medium. In order to overcome these objectionable characteristiccs of use of the Wiper cloth sleeve, applicant has provided a novel construction and assembly of means to engage the Wiper cloth on one or both faces and in an area below the tube suspending same so as to retain the faces of the cloth sleeve in substantial contact one with the other or at least in a sufiiciently at condition to prevent billowing and thus prevent a pin from falling into the gap between the faces. The present strueture also is effective to cause the end margins of the sleeve to wrap around the ends of the suspension tube and thus prevent said sleeve from creeping to one end or the other.

More particularly, applicant has provided novel inexpensive means, preferably in the form of a rod, rods or a yoke, to cooperatively engage the wiper cloth sleeve in an area below the suspension rod for the purpose of preventing billowing of the wiper cloth and to hold it securely over the ends of the tubing to prevent it from creeping. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide such means.

Another object of the invention is to provide anovelly constructed device for engaging one or both faces of a wiper cloth sleeve to prevent billowing and creeping of the wiper cloth sleeve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novell constructed frame for suspending a wiper cloth suspension rod in place and for engaging said cloth to prevent its billowing and creeping.

Another obiect is to provide a device of the character described that is not expensive to manufacture, is easy to install, on existing bowling lane equipment, and which is very effective and eiiicient in use.

With the foregoing and such other objects and advantages in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of ICC construction, arrangement and combination'of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

. Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to identify corresponding parts:

FIG. l is a schematic side elevational view of the pinspotting end of a bowling lane showing the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged back elevational View of the wiper cloth assembly showing one embodiment of the invention associated therewith.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one end of the wiper cloth `and 'suspension assembly, showing the device of the invention associated therewith.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the wiper cloth and suspension means, taken substantially on line 4 4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the wiper cloth assembly, showing `a modied form of the invention associated therewith. Y

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG.l 8 is ian enlarged vertical sectional View taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, showing the wiper cloth lthreaded through the frame in a manner diiferent than as shown in FIG. 8.

Referring to the exemplary disclosures of the invention in the accompanying drawings, and particularly to the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-4,V the bowling pin wiping cloth 11 is'icomprised of any fabric preferably treated to cause` dust and foreign particles to adhere thereto and fashioned in the forrn of an elongated sleeve or endless belt having substantially parallel wall portions 11a and 11b. The fabric sleeve is telescoped freely over a length of tubing 12 of any suitable rigid material, such as paper or iber board stock, having a diameter considerably greater than the diameter of a suspension rod 13 that is extendedtherethr'ough as shown. The suspension rod 13 is suspended at its ends 14 by means of flexible elements or chains I5 that may have their upper ends connected to a bar 16 forming a part of a conventional cushion assembly that includes a cushion or bumper plate 17. When bowling pins 18 are knocked off alley 19 they come to rest on a conventional endless carpet 21 which carries them rearwardly for ultimate pick up and replacement by the automatic pinspotter mechanism (not shown) When the pins or some of them strike the cushion plate, said plate is swung rearwardly and it impinges the Wiper cloth 11 in a manner to cause it, and its support tube 12 to rotate so that the wear or dust accumulation surface is constantly changed. Such contact between the cushion plate and wiper cloth, as well as contact between the pin or pins and said wiper tends to cause said wiper to billow in a manner to open the ends thereof and it is not infrequent that one or more pins or at least portions thereof enter between and are trapped by the two elongated walls 11a-11b of the wiper sleeve cloth. i

Such billowing of the wiper cloth is objectionable and is prevented by the device of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, this device may comprise a pair of like L-shaped rods 22 each secured rigidly -at the upper extremity of its vertical leg 22a to one end of suspension rod 13. The horizontal leg 22]; of each of said L-shaped rods constitutes an elongated finger that overlies closely one wall, preferably the back wall, of the wiper sleeve, as best shown in FIG. 4 in a manner to hold said walls closely together at all times. The end result is that there creeping of the cloth wiper sleeve longitudinally relative to tube 12 by causing the end margins of saidwiper sleeve 11 lto be carried inwardly radially around the end of the tube, as best illustrated at 11e in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. and 6,V the L-shaped rod 23 has itsl horizontally disposed portion forked or bifurcated so as to provide two spaced horizontal fingers 23a that embrace the two side Walls 11a and 11b of the wiper cloth 11 to retain them against billowing as well as insuring that the cloth will not creep longitudinally along its support tube 12.' v

Referring now tol the embodiment shown inv an exemplary form in FIGS. 7-9, the wiper cloth 11 is threaded over tubing 12 which is carried loosely on a suspension rod 2,4. In this embodiment, the ends of suspension rod 24 are each firmly seated'in and clamped in a socket or yoke 25 formed on the upper end of the vertically extending end portions 26 of a frame 27. The frame `includes a pair of vertically spaced apart rods 28-29 that bridge and are integrally connected at their ends to the respective vertical end portions 26.A The frame 27 may be associated with the. wiper cloth as shown in FIG. 8 wherein the cloth is threaded between the spaced rods '2S-29 so'as to be held against creeping and billowing, or itmay be associated with the cloth as shown in FIG. 9, wherein bothends 28-219v overlie one face of the wiper cloth. ln this assembly, the"suspension chains 15 are connected to the frame Z7 (FIG. 7) so that the suspension rod 24 may be removed readily when a replacement cloth is to be mounted thereon. T he cloth 12, in this instance, has a medial seam, as at 31, to increase its resistance to wear. Obviously, such a seam may be dispensed with or may be incorporated in the wiper cloths illustrated in FIGS. 1-6.

As many possible embodiments may be maderin the.

Y United States is:

1. The combination with a bowling lane having a pin carrying carpet and a cushion bar at the pinspotting end thereof, a suspension bar suspended above said carpet rearwardly of the cushion bar, a tube telescoped over and loosely tted on said suspension bar, a sleeve-like pin wiper cloth telescoped over and suspended by'said susi y pension bar and tube assembly and extending downwardly therefrom into the path of pins carried by said carpet, and downwardly and inwardly extending fingers connected to said suspension bar for surface engagement with the rearwardly disposed external face of said sleeve cloth to prevent billowing and creeping of said cloth.

2. The combination with a bowling lane having a pin carrying carpet and a cusion bar at the pinspotting end thereof, a suspension bar suspended above said carpet rearwardly of the cushion bar, a sleeve-like pin Wiper cloth telescoped over and suspended by said suspension bar and extending downwardly therefrom into the path of pins carg ried by said carpet, and downwardly and inwardly extending lingers connected to said suspension bar for surface engagement with'the rearwardly disposed external face of said sleeve cloth to prevent billowing and creeping of said cloth.

3. A bowling pin wiper assembly comprising a suspension bar, a sleeve-like wiper ltelescoped over said bar and depending therefrom loosely, and a pair of brackets secured to said suspension bar one outwardly of each end of the wiper, each of said brackets comprising a substantially yL-shaped frame including a bifurcated leg which extends in the direction of said wiper and embraces the wiper loosely.

4. A bowling pin wiper assembly comprising a sub-` tions and a pair of spaced apart connecting rods bridging said end portions below the upper ends thereof, a socket formed at the upper end of each end portion, a suspension bar mounted at its ends in said sockets, and a sleeve-like bowling pin wiper telescoped over said bar and depending therefrom in a manner to be engaged on its rearwardly disposed external face by said connecting rods 45. A bowling pin wiper Vassembly comprising `a substantially rectangular frame having upstanding end portions and a pair of spaced apart connecting portions bridging said end portions below the upper ends thereof, a suspension bar mounted at its ends on the upper ends of said upstanding end portions, and a sleeve-like bowling pin wiper telescoped over said bar and threaded through the space between said connecting portions so as to locate one of said portions on each face of the wiper.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 356,380 1/87k Scribner 211-'16 731,343 6/03 Conant 211--16 2,500,845 3/50 McCausland 226-196 3,051,484 8/ 64 Shulevitz 273-54 X DELBERT B, LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

2. THE COMBINATION WITH A BOWLING LANE HAVING A PIN CARRYING CARPET AND A CUSION BAR AT THE PINSPOTTING END THEREOF, A SUSPENSION BAR SUSPENDED ABOVE SAID CARPET REARWARDLY OF THE CUSHION BAR, A SLEEVE-LIKE PIN WIPER CLOTH TELESCOPED OVER AND SUSPENDED BY SAID SUSPENSION BAR AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM INTO THE PATH OF PINS CARRIED BY SAID CARPET, AND DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY EXTENDING FINGERS CONNECTED TO SAID SUSPENSION BAR FOR SURFACE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE REARWARDLY DISPOSED EXTERNAL FACE OF SAID SLEEVE CLOTH TO PREVENT BILLOWING AND CREEPING OF SAID CLOTH. 